For example, the question “What if Peter Pan grew up and forgot about Neverland?” is the premise for the movie Hook. As another example, the question “What if an ordinary boy found out he was actually a powerful wizard?” is a good premise for Harry Potter. Write your ideas on a notepad or on your phone whenever they come to mind. You never know when inspiration will strike.
For example, in Die Hard, John McClane wants to save his wife and the hostages held captive by Hans Gruber. Your antagonist doesn’t have to necessarily be another character. It can also be a monster or the wilderness. For example, in The Revenant, the main character must survive harsh winter weather to make it back to his camp.
Have your protagonist fail frequently to make them more believable and add some additional conflict. Let your character start in a place where they’re comfortable but needing something that pushes them into unfamiliar territory. That way, they’ll have to adapt and give things up to get what they want. [6] X Research source
For example, a logline for the film Ratatouille might be, “A rat who wants to be a chef must work with an amateur cook to avoid being caught by the suspicious head chef. ” As another example, the logline for The Lord of the Rings could be, “A young man, with the help of a small group of friends, must take a ring across the country to defeat an evil ruler. "
Some screenwriting software, such as WriterDuet and Final Draft, have digital index cards you can work with. At this stage, no idea is a bad idea. If you think something might be fun or cool to include in your screenplay, write it on a card and worry about if it fits with the story later on. Try using differently colored index cards for separate characters or action sequences so they’re easier to sort through.
Most movies and shows will be in chronological order of events, but you can try putting in events as flashbacks or flash-forwards to add twists to your movie, such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Inception.
Act II is usually the longest of the 3 acts and will make up about half of your screenplay. If you’re writing a television script, place your act breaks right where you would cut to a commercial.
Ask other people to hold you accountable to your goals to help you feel more motivated to finish on time.
Don’t get discouraged if you don’t hit your goal every day. Writing can be really tough since it takes a lot of creativity. Even professional writers get stuck from time to time.
Try covering up the character’s names and guessing which characters are talking passed on their speaking style. If the dialogue all sounds the same, then rework it so each person feels unique.
It’s okay to break this rule a few times especially during your first draft since you can always revise your scenes later on.
If you have an idea that isn’t in your outline, just include it in your draft. You never know if it will work with the rest of your story until you try it out.
Page lengths for TV scripts are more strictly enforced than feature film scripts.
You can start working on another project right away or just relax and celebrate that you finished a draft.
Avoid focusing on issues like grammar and spelling right away since you can fix those later on.
For example, a character walking home after work doesn’t add anything to the story. However, if the character runs into a romantic interest while they’re walking home, it can add to your character’s story.
For example, a 10-year-old character saying, “I do not think this will work out well,” sounds a little stilted. Instead, you might edit the dialogue to “I don’t think that’s gonna go well. ”
Work on revisions in separate documents so you can look at a fresh new page each time. You can still cut and paste bits you like from the old versions into the new ones.
Popular free screenwriting software you can try includes WriterDuet and Celtx. You can also pay for screenwriting software that has more features, such as Final Draft, Fade In, or Highland.
You do not need to include your mailing address on the title page of your screenplay.
For example, you may have scene headings like “INT. CLASSROOM - DAY” or “EXT. PARKING LOT - NIGHT. ” If you want to specify a room, just add it after the location. For example, you could write, “INT. TYLER’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT. ” Keep your scene headings 1. 5 inches (3. 8 cm) in from the left of the page. [27] X Research source
For example, rather than saying the “The pie smells good,” you could try something like, “Alex walks up to the pie and takes in a big whiff. He licks his lips at the scent, ready to dig in. ” Whenever you’re introducing a character for the first time, write their name in all caps and give a brief visual description. For example, you could write, “SYDNEY, 23, walks through campus in baggy sweatpants sipping a coffee. ” Keep action lines single-spaced, 1. 5 inches (3. 8 cm) in from the left, and 1 in (2. 5 cm) in from the right.
If a character isn’t on screen while they’re talking, then put (O. S. ) after their name to signify they’re off-screen. Place character names and dialogue 3. 7 inches (9. 4 cm) and 2. 5 inches (6. 4 cm) from the left edge respectively. [30] X Research source You can also add parentheticals on the line after a character’s name to convey the mood or tone of their voice. For example, it could say something like “(frightened)” or “(tense). ” Keep the parentheticals 3. 1 inches (7. 9 cm) in from the left margin.
Leave the transitions 1 inch (2. 5 cm) from the right edge of the page. Always start the next line after a transition with a new scene heading.
Keep the page numbers 0. 5 inches (1. 3 cm) from the top of the page and flush with the right margin.
